Sloutions to Baitarani Flood

Permanent solution to Baitarani floods still in offing
Friday July 13 2007 09:56 IST (newindpress.com)

BHADRAK: Hopes of a permanent solution to the recurring floods in the river Baitarani seem to be eluding the State with both the governments not taking adequate remedial measures.

The Baitarani is known for creating havoc in Keonjhar, Jajpur and Bhadrak districts every year. Several reports on projects to control floods in the river have been prepared since independence, but all have failed to fructify.

This year’s flood water level was the highest in three decades and over five lakh people in three districts have been badly affected. Since Independence, thousands died, lakhs rendered homeless and property worth crores was damaged.

The then executive engineer, Baitarani Irrigation Division, SC Tripathy had prepared a multi-purpose project on the river Baitarani, named ‘Vimkund Dam Project’ in 1958. A multi-purpose project was to be constructed on the Baitarani at Nuapada in Keonjhar district. But for two decades the project report could not even be submitted. And when it was done in 1974, the proposal was rejected.

‘The second site was also rejected in 1984 and search for the ideal site delayed the project,’ sources close to the Irrigation Department said.

According to official reports, over Rs 3,750 crore had been spent by the State Government in restoration and relief work in flood-hit areas in the past one decade. And the Vimkund dam project would have cost less had it been executed, said Tusharkanti Jena, a member of Jana Surakshya Samiti (JSS), a voluntary organisation of Bhadrak.

District Collector Nalinikanta Burma said, ‘A master plan is required to save the three districts from the flood furry. But in Bhadrak permanent embankment along with the riverbed dredging is necessary to control the flood water.’